Mining-machine.



A. H. GIBSON.-

MINING MACHINE.

Patented Apr.6, 1915.

A 4 a R 4. 3 1

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. H. GIBSON.

MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 020.3. 1910.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

. I Z M A. H; GIBSON.

MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man 050.3.1910.

A. :H. GIBSON. MINING MACHINE.

' I APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3,,1910. Q 1 134,734,, Patented Apr.6, 1915. I I I 6 SHEE'T8BHEI 1T 4.

A. H. GIBSON.

MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- s. 1910'.

1 1. 3%,73Q. v Patented Apr. 6,1915. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5'. v

A. H. GIBSON.

MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. 1910.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

6 SHEETS- 8113111 6.

- Mining-Machines, of. which the following is UNI ED 1 ARTHUR H. GIBSON," OE. EASTON, I PENNSYLYMIA, ASSIGNQE-l comranmion zonmn -Y., .A coneonermon onlmw Y iar-mne mncm To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR'H. GInsoN, a subject. of the Crownof Great Britain, and resident of Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a. new and useful Improvement in a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mining machines and is directed to ma.- chines which are well adapted for use in op erating upon coal.

My invention relates more particularly to improvements "in coal cutting and loading machines and contemplates the provision of a portable platform on which is' mounted. a coal puncher, a conveyer which extends-be neaththe platform to a point adjacent to the coal face for conveying the coal broken down by the puncher back to a point to the rearof the puncher, and a coal car operatively connected to the machine for receiving-the coal from the conveyein The object of the invention is'to provide.

certain improvements in the construction, form, arrangement and operation of the several parts. of a; coal cutting; and, loading machine whereby the efliciency of the machine is increased and the cutting, transfer and loading of the coal isfacilitated to a... material degree.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the aecompanying'drawings in which,

Figure 1. represents the. coal machine in side elevation in positionfor' rise, the front portionofthe endless carrier being also shown. Fig.- l is a continuation of Fig:

1, showing the rear portion of the endless conveyer and'al'so the car for receiving the. coal-therefrom. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the. portion of'the machine shown in Fig. 1,-' and Fig. .2 is a, plan view of the portion. of the machine shown in Fig. 1.. Fig. 3 is a detail cross section takenv in the plane. of-the line A 'A of Fig. 1, lookin in.the direction of the; arrows, the. porta le. platform: bemg shown in cross section at thatpartwhere the rotary support for the pun cheris. monnted. Fig. .4; is a transverse section taken in the.

plane of the line B- Bof'Fig. 1,- 1ooking in the direction ofthe arrows. Fig. 5' 1s a 4 Specification of-Lemi's Patent. 125mm m 1915; Appiioation-fledllecember-S,1919.: smamaseam. I

transverse soctipn. takn in, the plane of the. l1ne-CG of Elg. 1, lookingfin the. direction of thearnows. Fig. 6'is adetail plan. view- 0' meensom.-nann showing the-means for starting andYstop-j ping the mechanism for propelling'the plat-- formabacli: and forth alongthe track. Fig.

Z is a detail section taken in the plane of the; line DD ofFig. 6, looking-in thedime:-

tioni osfthearrows. Fig; 8 is a detail-section showing. more; clearly the winch-engagin the chain for-moving the platform back an tion on. an. .enlargedscale, of the frictiondetail horizontal section showing the scans for adjusting the. puncher longitudinally .alengzits trunnions;v Fig. llis an enlarged transversevertical. section taken i the plane of. the line-E-E of.Eig.; 1, looking in the di- 'rection. of; thearrows. Fig. 12' is a detail horizontal sectionttaken. in the plane of the line FF of 11,1ooking'in ti 2 direction of thearnows ,-.illnstrating the yielding worm gear? mechanism. for swinging. the puncher horizontally. Fig. 13 is a detail view show forth alongthe track. Fig. 9 is a detail.sec-. clutch connection between the platform propelling clutch. andthe motor. Fig. 10 is a.

ing the yielding; worm gear mechanism for swinglng thepancher vertically.- Fig. 14 is.

a detailsection-takenin-the-plane of theline G-G. of Fig.- 13, looking in the direction of -thearrowa. Fig; lfi-isa-detailside view showing-the: positions. which the parts as some as tlie. undercuttlng-operationispabout to Fig. l'fiis, a top plan view of the ing theconveyer to theminingmachine plat.

form. L 'Dhetraokrhereinshown for the coal minmg machine is formed in short sections cone prising-a. seriesof: cross; ties l and'the' usual trackrails 2. These track sections maybe connected to. eachother byiish plates 3 and 'bolts engaging the-abutting. ends of the adjacent track sections for. forminga contin'uous track...

machine is denoted by 5 itis provid The portableplatform-of the coal e with two front feet 6 and two rear feet 7 arranged to slide along the trackrails 2. Each of the two front feet 6 is connected to the platform 5 through the intermediary of a spring 8 and block 9, so as to permit the' feet 6 to yield slightly with respect to the platform 5, to absorb vibrations of the platform due to the operation of the puncher. The two rear feet 7 are connected to the platform 5, at a single point, by providing the feet 7 at the endsof the yoke 10, which yoke is attached midway between its ends to a lug 11 on the platform 5, by a bolt 12, thus forming form 5. Sufficient lost motion is provided between theiyoke lO'and platform 5, to enable the feet 7 to adjust themselves to inequalities in the track rails owing to'the roughness of the mine floor, thus obviating the necessity of smoothing the mine floor'to an accurate degree. 7 The coal puncher cylinder is denoted by 13, the front head by 14 and the pick by 15. This pick is operated in the usual manner by pressure fluid fed to the cylinder 13 from a main motive fluid supply pipe 15 through a flexible branch pipe 17.- The coal puncher may be swung laterally intos the different desired angular positions and held yieldingly-in such positions by the following mechanism: A worm gear 18 of ring form is frictionally held between the cylinder support 19 and a ring 20, in the present instance, by providing a plurality of bolts 21 projecting from the ring 20 through the base of the support 19 and illterposing springs 22 between-the base of the zontalshaft 27 and meshes said support 19 and theheads 23 of the said bolts 21. A ring 24' is secured to the platform 5-by' screw-bolts 25 the" inner edge of which ring overlaps the base of the support 19, forretaining the support in its position; A worm 26 is slidably mounted on 'a horiwith the worm gear 18. Thisworm 26 is yieldingly held in its normal position'by springs 28, 29-,

interposed between the worm 26 and the thrust bearings 30,31. The worm 26, shaft 27, springs 28,29 and thrust bearings 30, 31, are housed within a recess 32 in the plat- The shaft 27 is driven from .a suitable motor 33 mountedon the platform 5, through the fol-lowing connections: The shaft of the motor 33 is providedwith a pinion 34 which meshes with a gear 35 on a stud shaft 36 mounted on the platform 5. This stud shaft 36 has a sprocket and chain connection 37 with the shaft 27. The motor-33 is driven by pres.-

sure fluid fed through-the branch pipe from the main motive fluid supply pipe The puncher may be swung vertically into any angular position and held yieldinglyin such position, by the following bolts 43.

a three-point support for the platwhich worm meshes with the worm heads 44 .of the said frame 47 of the support 19. A ring 48 1s secured by screw-bolts 49 to the side frame 45 with its inner edge overlapping'the ring 41, thus serving as a keeper for retaining the trunnions in their position iii the side frames of thesupport 19. A worm50 is slidably mountedupona vertical shaft 51,

gear 39. This worm 50 is yieldingly held in lts normall position on the said shaft 51 by springs 52, 53, interposed between the said worm 50 and upper and lower ball thrust bearings 54, 55, respectively. The' worm 50, springs 52, 53, and ball thrust bearings 54, 55, are locked in a recess 56 in the side frame 45. The shaft 51 is rotated by a hand wheel 57 through intermeshing pinions 58, 59, The worm shaft pinion 59 isfast on the worm shaft '51 and the hand wheel 57 and its pinion 58 are slidably keyed to a stud shaft 60 free to turn in abearing 61 of a bracket 62. A clamp nut 63 engages the screw-threaded end 64 "of the stud shaft 60 When the shaft is released, the hand wheel sitions and after the puncher has been swung to the desired position, the hand. wheel 57, pinion 58 and shaft 60 may be locked against movement by the clamp nut 63. W i y A V, The machine is adapted for movement back and forth along'the track by the provision of the following mechanism-z A rope or chain cable 65' is provided at its forward end with a hook 66 arranged to hook over the front end of one of the track rails 2. The rear end of this cable is provided with a bracket 67 which is secured to one of the track rails 2, by bolts 68, at a distance to therear of the machine Intermediate its ends, the cable 65 passes iinder two idler pulleys r69, 70, and over a driving pulley 71 of apower actuated winch. The shaft 72 of this pulley meshes with a pinion 74 loose on across shaft 75. A friction or slip connectibn between the pinion 74 and the shaft 75, is provided by interlocking the pinion' 74 with a.

shaft 51,

for locking and releasing the said shaft.

71 has fixed thereto agear 73 which tion clutch, the outer member- 78 of which is keyed to the shaft 75." This shaft 75 is driven in either direction from a reversing motor 79, through a gear and pinion connection 80, 81. This motor79 is driven by pressure fluid supplied from the main sup- Ely pipe 16, through the branch pipe 82. A

and lever 83 for starting the engine in either direction is normally returned to its neutral position by the provision of a double into'position for driving the motor in either lever 85 hinged at 86 direction. This brake comprises a rocking arm of which lever is connected to the motor operating lever 83 by an adjustable rod 87 and t e other arm ofwhich lever is provided with a wooden or other suitable brake block 88 "arranged to engage the periphery of the gear 80. A spring 89 tends to draw the block 88 into frictional engagement with the periphery of the 'ge'ar 80. The parts are so arranged that when the lever 83 is in its neutral position, the brake will be applied to the gear 80, and when the lever 83 is in either of its other positions, the brake will be released from engagement with the said gear. I

The p'uncher is adjusted longitudinally with respect to its trunnions by providing the opposite sides ofthe cylinder 13 with series of holes 90 arranged to be brought into register with a series of holes 91 through the trunnions, so that bolts 92 may be passed through certain of the holes 91' into engagement with certain of the holes 90. This ar rangement permits the puncher to be adjust- 'ed into position to properly balance it and also absolutely prevents any liability of the puncher sliding after it has once been adjuste'd logitudinally with respect to its trun nions. 7

An endless conveyer'93 is provided for transferring the coal broken down by-the p ck. This conveyer is supported intermediate its ends upon a frame 94 provided with traction wheels 95. This conveyer is driven from a motor 96 through a pinion 97, gear 98, sprocket wheel 99, chain 100 and sprocket wheel 101, This motor 96 is driven bv pressure fluid fed from the supply pipe '16, through a suitable branch pipe 102. The

conveyer comprises a horizontal ,portion arranged to extend along the track sections betweenthetrack rails 2"and an upwardly purpose of moving driving the on the platform 5, one

sitionbeneath the rear end of the conveyer for receiving the coal'therefroin'and trans:

porting it to any desired point. For the I the conveyer along between the track rails the coal face, the front portionof theco'nveyrm'ay be attached by a removable cross toward and away from bar 104*, Fig. 19, to chain's 104 or'other suitable suspension devices depending from, the front end 'ofthe platform 5, saidcross. bar passing through the holes 111* in the;

sides of the conveyer trough 111.

-Mani1ally operated means are provided for moving the coal car relatively to the conve'yr. In the event that the car is to he moved rearward-1 little by little from underneath the endless conveyer '93,'f or ing a complete loading of tlfe coal car, these means may be constructed, arranged and operated *as follows: A cable 105 isprovided at its free end with a hook 106 arranged to engage a pin 107 at the front end of the coal car 103. This cable leads first rearwardly around a pulley 108' carried by a rearfextensio'n 109 attached to the axleof theitr'action wheel s'95, from thence the cable 105 leads forwardly artund a pulley 110secur'ed to the endless 'convyertrough 111, From thence the cable leads rearwardly to 1 and around a 113 may be provided for preventing the un- 1061'of the cable 105 is engaged with thepin 107 and the cable leads from Said hook '95' winding drum of a Windlass 112. A'pawl directly forward to the pulley 110 instead of aroundthe pulley 108.

For in "re readily transporting the mining machine from place to place, axles 114 are provided onto which may be placed traction wheels of sufiicient size tolif the from test 6 oil from the track rails. or bracing the yoke 10"which carries the rear feet 7 of the plat orm 5, side bars 115* are provided,

which side bar's extend from the-platform 5 to the sides of the yoke adjacent to the feet 7. These side bars permit a lateral yielding ofthe yoke y'jt prevent a longitudinal dislacement thereof.

After the undercutting operation has been completed, the side plates are inserted into position upon both sides of the conveyer trough 111 at the front end of the conveyer to in the transferring'of the coal as it is knocked down at points beyond the sides of the trough, to he shoved on to the-conveyer'for' transfer back to the mine car. To assist the operator in the proper manipula tion of the puncher, asource of light is mounted on the punche'r, which source of light ma be a gas, electric or other lamp 116 arranged "to direct the rays of light on to that portion of the coal being struck by the pick '15.

' To keep down the dust as much as possible, a water nozzle 117 is also attached to the pick so as to direct a stream or jet 0 water on to the portion of the coal being operated upon by the puncher pick 15. The water is supplied to this nozzle 117 through a suitable pipe connection 118.

a To keep the endless conveyer 93 in position as it travels from its 'fronthorizontal portion to its diagonal upwardly inclined rearward portion, angle plates cured along the inside of the trough 111 in position to overlap the said chains of the conveyer 93 for a considerable distance.

The cycle of operations is carried out as followsz 'lhe machine is moved up into position to start the undercutting operation as shown in Figs. 15 and 16, the conveyer being extended forwardly as far as possible without liability of being struck by the puncher.

' As the machine is advanced during the undercutting operation, the machine will strike removable bolts 121 on the conveyer so that the further advance movement of the machine will also advance the conveyer at the same time so as to keep the front end of the conveyer sufliciently 'in advance of puncher topermit the ready shoveling of the coal onto the conveyer. lhe machine is prevented from-accidentally running off the end of the track rails 2 by providing the hook 66 with a stop 120, which lies in the path of one of the puncher feet 6. After the undercutting operation has been completed, the machine'will be moved back a predetermined distance along the track. The chains 104 depending from the mining machine platform are then connected to the trough 111 of the conveyer-by passing a bar through corresponding holes'lll and the chains 104. The machine is then moved forward together with the conveyer until the forward. end of the conveyer has been brought to the end'of the undercut. The

machine is then disconnected from the con-;

veyer and is moved rearwardly into position for starting the knocking-down operation. The side plates 115are then slid into position onto the sides of the conveyer trough. The puncher is then put into operation for knocking down the coal. The sweeping movement of the puncher laterally back and forth over the side plates serves to assist in loading the coal into the conveyer. As the-conveyer transfers the coalfrom the front to the back of the machine and fromthere into the mine car, the mine car may be moved relatively to the conveyer so as to insure the even and complete loading ofthe car. When one car is filled, it is removed and an empty car placed in its position.

means of the conveyer 119 are sethe raeapea tion, the entry is preferably cleaned up of all loose coal and the coal is transferred by back and into the mine car. The side plates 115 are then removed. The machine is again attached to theconveyer by means of'the chains 101 and the movable bar and the conveyer and machine and the attached mine car are moved rearwardly until the forward end of the conveyer is back of the front end of the forward track section. Thefront hook 66 and the rear bracket 67 of the cable are detached and an extra track section is laid in advance'of the foremost track section and connected thereto. The hook 66 is thenattached to the front end of the newly placed track section and the bracket 67 is again attached to the track rail at the proper distance to the rear of the machine; T he conveyer and machine still in their connected arrangement are then again moved into the position first described for repeating the cycle of operations. i

In the operation of the puncher it is frequently desirable that the puncher follow up a line of cleavage in the coal as the coal is-cracking. This is accomplished readily in the present machine by the means for rapidly moving the machine forwardly along the track when so desired. llf the uncher were not arranged so that it could follow up such a cleavagein the coal, then only small pieces of coal could be broken down at one stageof advanc of the m-a-..

of time, but am also enabled to overcome any obstructions which would be insur-' mountable in a manually operated winch, and am also enabled to permit the machine at any time to rapidly and easily move the conveyer itself back and forth and when so desired the mine car also. .Therefore, the use of a power operated advancing and re-' tar-ding mechanism accomplishes a series of results in a minimum time and thus insures a maximum amount of work in such time. Again, the entire cutter as herein shown and described will cause the entry to be out very straight which'isa great advantage in min- It will also permit the machine to be m op%.ratedon what is commonly known as the dip where water collects inthe heading and the machine can operate where there is so much water that it would be necessary to pump the same out with other means of driving. Furthermore, the mounting of a source of light on the puncher itself so as to move with the puncher and :thus keep a beam of light directed on to the work operated uponby the puncherflpick, materially assistsin the rapid and e cient operation of-the puncher. Also by the mounting of the-water jet upon the puncher so as to al- Y ways direct the jet or stream of water onto the portion being operated upon by the supporting the portable-platform, the platform -may be moved. more easily through heaps of coal, thus saving power as the wheels tend to ride upon the coal, thus also causing the machine to leave the track rails andcause a considerable loss of time in replacing the machine on the track. Also an unintentional. movement of the platform along the track duetothe vibration of the puncher is obviated. These feet also'take" .up much less room than traction wheels where the greatest possible amount of room essentiaL' The use of feet instead of wheels also prevents the liability of 'the operators feet becoming crushed between the 1 wheels and the track as the feet of the platform will serve to push the operators foot down and away rather than to ride over the same. The three-point support for the puncher platform enablesthe' machine to stand firmly in position even though the track is laid directly upon the uneven floor of the mine. The slight yieldin movement *of the front feet serves to absor the vibra- 7 tion of the puncher to a material degree, and

' thus facilitates the effective operation of the along the track absolutely prevents the ma chine from slipping along the track during .puncher.

The device which adjusts the vertical position of the puncher permits the puncher to beyielding'ly' the operation of the puncher and also serves to'quickly stop the engine. The correlation between the brake and the motor controlling lever facilitates the quick and accurate conp trol of the moyiement of the puncher along car with respect to the conveyer also facili tates the rapid and even pf the coal It be seen that the shape of the rear ortion ofthe conveyer is such that it will real: the force of the blow of the car 103 if the car should run into .the conveyer when themachine'is'working down grade, the car having to the conveyerbodily before the,

puncher pick, thediist is kept down and the work facilitated. L By the use of feet instead of wheels for for locking the 'hand fwheel trav car can the axle of the traction wheels '95. This wedging action between the car -and the conveyer servesto eliminate the liability' of damage due to" the car running into the conveyer. I c

What I claim is:

1. A track, a mining machine thereon, a v

-. conveyer located between the track rails and passing beneath the mining machine, means for connecting the conveyer to and disconnecting it from the mining machine and means for moving the mining machine back and forth along the track either with or without the conveyer. 1

2. A mining machine including a puncher,

manually operated means for swinging the puncher into 'd'flerent vertical positions,

means for holding the puncher yieldingly in such positions and meansfor locking said puncher swinging means against movement.

3. A mining machine including a puncher and manually operated means for swinging the puncher vertically comprising a Worm gear carriedby the puncher, a yielding worm meshing with said gear, a worm shaft and means for locking the shaft against movement.

4. A mining machine including .a' support, trunnions rotatably mounted in said support, each trunnion having a series of holes along the same, .a puncher having a series of holes in the trunnions and 'bolts entering "9'5 holes 'alongits sides in register with the.

certain of said holes for locking the puncher to its trnnnions in diiferentlongitudinal adjustments. J

5. A track and-a mining machine arranged to travel along the same comprising a platform having two front feet resting on the track and ayoke secured to the rear of the platform, said yoke having two feet resting on the track; and side braces leading from the sides-of the yok 'to the platform for io sholding the yoke in a imgitudinaldirection.

. 6.'A track, a mine car thereon, a conveyer arranged to transport the minings to the.

min car and a mining machine arranged to 1 back and said conveyer.

forth along-the track over 7. A track, a mine car th'ereon,.a conveyer X arranged to transport the minin-gs to the mine car and a mining machine arranged to V travel back and forth along the trackover said conveyer and means for connecting the mining machine to and disdonnecting itfrom the conveyerwhereby the conveyer may be moved by meansof themining inachine when w so desired.

p 8. A track, a mine thereon, a conveyer connected to the mine car and adapted to transfer theminings thereinto and a mining machine arranged-to travel back and forth along the track overthe conveyer.

9.- A track, a mine car thereon, a conveyer 5 connected to the mine car and. adapted to transfer the minings thereinto, a mining machine arranged to travel back and forth along the track over. the conveyer, and means for connecting the mining machine to'an'd disconnecting it from the conveyer, whereby the conveyer and mine car may be moved by the mining machine when so desired.

17m t E i v \a time In testimony, that claim the foregoing I as my invention, 1 have signed my name in 10 presence of two Witnesses, this first day of December 1910. ARTHUR H. GIBSON.

Witnesses:

F. GEORGE BARRY,

HENRY C. THIEME. 

